Question about iPhone activation

[sportsfrk214]

I am a major tech/Apple nerd. And therefore I have some nerdy things that I think are cool. I like the excitement if going to an Apple Store to buy something as opposed to having it mailed to me. I also like th excitement of taking my new toy home and opening everything meticulously, enjoying the brilliant packaging of Apple products. Ok, nerdiness rant over.

That being said, I look forward to doing this when I get my first iPhone, which will be the iPhone 5 on Verizon whenever it is released. However I don't know how this is going to work for me. I am an existing Verizon customer, and I am actually without a contract right now (it expired last month, and I'm waiting for iPhone 5 to renew). I will not be setting up a new account, I will simply be adding the phone to my existing account, meaning I will be keeping my phone number and my voice and texting plan, plus adding the data plan.

So my question, can I do this at home? Can I go to the Apple Store, buy the phone, and bring it home to set up? Or does the Apple Store/Verizon Store have to open my iPhone for me to set up on their computers? Thanks for any info.

 

[LinksAwakener]

I am a major tech/Apple nerd.

[Noticed name, stopped reading here]

Kidding!

I am a major tech/Apple nerd. And therefore I have some nerdy things that I think are cool. I like the excitement if going to an Apple Store to buy something as opposed to having it mailed to me. I also like th excitement of taking my new toy home and opening everything meticulously, enjoying the brilliant packaging of Apple products. Ok, nerdiness rant over.

That being said, I look forward to doing this when I get my first iPhone, which will be the iPhone 5 on Verizon whenever it is released. However I don't know how this is going to work for me. I am an existing Verizon customer, and I am actually without a contract right now (it expired last month, and I'm waiting for iPhone 5 to renew). I will not be setting up a new account, I will simply be adding the phone to my existing account, meaning I will be keeping my phone number and my voice and texting plan, plus adding the data plan.

So my question, can I do this at home? Can I go to the Apple Store, buy the phone, and bring it home to set up? Or does the Apple Store/Verizon Store have to open my iPhone for me to set up on their computers? Thanks for any info.

Yes you can do this at home. Connecting your phone to iTunes will go through this setup process automatically.

That being said, they WILL open the iPhone box in the store. There's no way around this. What happens is, purchasing the phone will use up your "free upgrade" and they register the phone serial number with your Verizon account right as you purchase it, including any data/text plans. The only way to have an unboxing experience is ordering online, so you forfeit this pleasure when you pick it up in the Apple store.

 

[sportsfrk214]

[Noticed name, stopped reading here]

Kidding!



Yes you can do this at home. Connecting your phone to iTunes will go through this setup process automatically.

That being said, they WILL open the iPhone box in the store. There's no way around this. What happens is, purchasing the phone will use up your "free upgrade" and they register the phone serial number with your Verizon account right as you purchase it, including any data/text plans. The only way to have an unboxing experience is ordering online, so you forfeit this pleasure when you pick it up in the Apple store.

So what you're saying is, I can either buy it at an Apple Store or unbox it at home, but not both? And which ever I chose, I can link it to my current Verizon account from home?

 

[LinksAwakener]

So what you're saying is, I can either buy it at an Apple Store or unbox it at home, but not both?

Yes.

And which ever I chose, I can link it to my current Verizon account from home?

If you buy it in store, they activate/link the phone for you. If you order online, you and iTunes go through the activation/linking together.

 

[sportsfrk214]

Yes.



If you buy it in store, they activate/link the phone for you. If you order online, you and iTunes go through the activation/linking together.

Awesome, thank you for the info. All I hope now is that Apple offers an online preorder that will ship the device on or briefly after launch day.

 

[scarboni21]

Awesome, thank you for the info. All I hope now is that Apple offers an online preorder that will ship the device on or briefly after launch day.

They did that with the 4 and most if not all people who had it shipped to their house recieved it before launch day.